Record highest monthly visitor numbers to museums

This news article was published under
the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Nearly 6 million visit museums and galleries in August.

British Museum image by Chris Robinson on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

August saw the highest ever visitor numbers to DCMS museums and galleries in England, according to official statistics, published today. A total of 5,899,043 visits were recorded in that month, the highest monthly total since records began.

Visits to the museums and galleries in August 2014 were up by more than half a million, 10.5% higher than in August 2013.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said:

This is outstanding news. Our museums are world beaters with their priceless collections, their scholarship and their impeccable customer service, so it is fantastic to see that this is matched by visit numbers.

We have invested so that the big national museums and galleries offer free entry for all, and these figures provide a glorious vindication for that policy.

Back in March during #Museumsweek you told us why you love free museums